Dark Fires

Bragg Saga #4

by Brenda Joyce

"He murdered his wife," they whispered. Nicholas Bragg, Earl of Dragmore, was notorious—even after a British court found him innocent. Now they called him Lord of Darkness, as much for his rakish good looks as for his black reputation.

She was an innocent at passion's gate. Arriving uninvited at the massive stone manor, she shivered with terror—and excitement. Jane Barclay was his ward. Her sunny, innocent nature was in violent contrast to his hot temper. He was wild, explosive, an uncouth Texas rakehell—exactly the wrong kind of man for an English beauty to tame.

Together they would be swept into the dark storm of their passionate destiny...and wild, all-consuming love.

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Regency, Historical Fiction, Westerns, Love

396 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Brenda Joyce is the bestselling author of forty-one novels and five novellas. She has won many awards, and her debut novel, Innocent Fire, won a Best Western Romance award. She has also won the highly coveted Best Historical Romance award for Splendor and Two Lifetime Achievement Awards from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. There are over 14 million copies of her novels in print and she is published in over a dozen foreign countries.

A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.

Reviews

[Azet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful,Amazing,superb....everything for me to love in a romantic novel."Dark Fires" has become one of the best romantic novels i have ever read.

What i have always loved with Joyce,is that she loves when she writes..and with it shows through her words with the passion she fills in them..and that totally enchants me,cuz the second i read this book,i became quickly obsessed over every word.God this one was a powerful love-story..!

I was so incredibly intrigued by Nicholas in the other books,and now when i have read his book,i have come to love him with my whole heart.

*He is cold-blooded and dangerous like a devil.(People even call him Lord of Darkness)
*Doesn`t care about anyones feelings,and he has his wild and savage nature in taking what he wants without care or concern.
*He says and behaves however he wants without caring about what the society thinks.

Nicholas Bragg is a totally ruthless and savage hero...but with a tortured soul that came with him knowing a dark secret of his parents.What we know if we have read the first book about his parents in "Innocent Fire".

But his whole life changes when the unwelcome ward of his arrives,the innocent Angel-like beauty Jane Barclay.The attraction sparks between the moment they see each other and the love will grow so all-consuming that they can`t live without each other.

Jane is a adorable and naive 17-year old from the start and her impulsiveness always made me laugh.I love how she later isn`t afraid of showing her love and does everything to save their marriage.

This book was so filled with angst,and Nicholas became a man every woman dreams of.I love how he couldn`t touch any other woman when he married her,despite thinking she has many other lovers and his need of her,her affection..her love,he wanted with desperation EVERYTHING and his vulnerable love for her nearly destroyed me.His love for Jane was so powerful..and oh so beautiful.
Even if he tried he couldn`t stay away from her.

I also love the supporting scene with Rathe and Grace (i am so excited for their book in "Violet Fire"!)

I am fascinated with this truly sensual,wild,angsty and hot love-story of Nicholas and Jane,their unyelding,loyal and everlasting love one i will never forget.

Re-read in October 2019.

I think i have re-read this book over 10 times now,and i never get bored by it.Same epic romance all over again,love it to death!

[Foxfire · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like this book. The plot followed a popular romance formula of an older, tortured hero and young, innocent heroine. All the usual cliches were thrown in.

Much to his dislike, an embittered earl in his thirties gains a 17 year old ward who is the illegitimate daughter of an actress and a duke's third son.

Within days, the heroine is desperately in love with the hero and makes it plain. He can't stop his physical response to her, although he tries to tell himself lusting after a schoolgirl is wrong.

Promptly, the hero dumps his older mistress. However, he manages not to get involved with the heroine, until she crawls into his bed when he is drunk. Still asleep, he makes love to her, thinking it's a dream.

In the morning, he is horrified, but relieved that it was her seducing him instead of him raping her. Within two pages, he goes through an amazing array of emotions:

He doesn't want a wife.
He'll have to marry the heroine out of duty.
He loves the heroine and knows she is in love with him, but he can't bear the thought that one day her love might turn to hate (his first wife left him).

So, the hero offers to marry the heroine. The heroine, who a chapter ago was desperate for a chance to make the hero love her by proving to him that she could make him happy, refuses and runs away.

The hero is crushed, because he loves her more than he's ever loved anyone in his entire life.

And so it goes on, these two people who in their mind profess undying love to each other doing everything they can to remain apart.

There are odd historical quirks:

The hero is supposed to be a ruffian with no manners who grew up on a ranch in America. Yet, he knows enough about women's clothing to order a wardrobe for the heroine.
His mother was an earl's daughter, and he inherited the title. British titles can't pass along the female line (a point which is right now under vigorous debate to change the law).
The heroine is supposed to have impeccable manners, and yet she stands up and shrieks in a ball that she is being slandered when someone points out her illegitimate birth.

But...what really ruined the book for me the hero's treatment of his mistress. He is happy to use her for sex and companionship, and yet in his mind he thinks she is a disgusting old cow, no longer in the bloom of youth and turning to fat. The poor woman must love him (why would she otherwise tolarate the kind of treatment he dishes out for her) and yet he cannot muster up one ounce of compassion for her.

Why are so many romance readers willing to accept such cruelty in the hero? Why is it right to be abusive toward "the other woman" in the story? I'd already started skimming, but at that point I didn't want to know more.

[Regan Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb Victorian Romance - 4th in the Bragg Series

This is another truly superb romance by Brenda Joyce. Set in England in 1874-1876, DARK FIRES tells the story of Nicholas Bragg, Lord Shelton, Earl of Dragmore, aka the Lord of Darkness (so called by all of London after the rumors he murdered his wife). He is an American, raised in wild Texas with a mysterious past, who is living on his 25,000 acre estate outside of London, when one day delivered to his door is Jane Weston, the 17-year-old illegitimate daughter of an actress and the son of the Duke of Clarendon, his dead wife's grandfather. The girl is his ward, a ward he didn't know he had.

Instantly attracted to the beautiful young blond, and aware she is becoming infatuated with him, Nick decides if he's to resist her, he must take her to London and find her a husband. Of course that won't be easy as he is infamous, shunned by the Ton and Jane is from the wrong side of the blanket. Not to mention he doesn't really want her to wed. Once in London, their attraction finds its finish and then everything goes to Hell in a hand basket, so to speak. Ah, but the telling of it is just superb. I couldn't put it down.

This is the 4th in the Bragg series (see full list below) but you can read it as a stand alone. There are references to Nick's past which is a part of the earlier books but you won't lose track or find yourself at a loss. Like a lot of people of mixed heritage, Nick is stronger for it...and more handsome. Though Jane was illegitimate, her parents loved each other and she is proud to be their daughter. One of the secondary characters with only a small speaking part is priceless...Thomas the butler, who is there throughout the book. Unlike some romances, the conflict here comes across very naturally from the circumstances, very believable. It's a story of two people deeply in love but fighting it all the way.

I highly recommend this one!

The Bragg Saga:

Innocent Fire, 1988 (Derek Bragg and Miranda)
Firestorm, 1988 (Storm Bragg and Brett)
Violet Fire, 1989 (Rathe Bragg and Grace)
Dark Fires, 1991 (Nicholas Bragg and Jane)
The Fires of Paradise, 1992 (Lucy Bragg and Shoz)
Scandalous Love, 1992 (Nicole Bragg Shelton and Hadrian)
Secrets, 1993, (First in the Delanza Series Regina Bragg Shelton and Slade Delanza)
After Innocence (follows Secrets - Edward Delanza and Sophie)

See also, The Darkest Heart, 1989. It's connected to The Fires of Paradise--it's the story of the hero's parents (Candice Carter and Jack Savage)

[Nessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

FINALLY AN IMPROVEMENT FROM THE PREVIOUS BOOKS OF THIS SERIES. ALTHOUGH THE HERO STILL NEEDED TO BE WORKED ON, IM GLAD THE AUTHOR NORMALISED THE HEROINE BY A FRACTION...AND WHILE THERE WERE STILL THE CRAZY, TOTALLY STUPID FIGHTS....THE ENDING MADE ME COMPROMISE.

OUR HERO is the half breed son of Miranda and Derek. If you read the first book then you know Nick was the by product of his mother's rape. Years later, he is all grown up and has taken up the title left by his English Grandfather, so he is an Earl now. Having gone through a bitter marriage and the death of his wife, one he was accused of murder, he has turned into an equally bitter man. When he learns that he has a new ward, he is beyond pissed and irritated to care for a young woman. However, he never expected to be so attracted to his ward and in Joyce fashion, he's a total boor about it. He gets Uber jealous to the point of madness, he can't even be honest with his feelings and what pissed me off as usual is that the characters can never COMMUNICATE well. When one says something hurtful, the other responds in kind so basically they never solved their problem but only HURT And played the BLAME GAME. In this story, he used his mistress often to rub salt into Jane's wound. asshole.

OUR HEROINE is an improvement because compared to the other heroines she was calmer and collected. In fact I was surprised when she was the one who fell in love first and was so accommodating and sweet. I held my breath waiting for the pin to drop and indeed when she ran away from Nick and bore his daughter...she became a bit dramatic. I don't know if it was called for, maybe she had a bit of right to act out but like Nick she had her pride. Both were too stubborn to just say sorry or reconcile. But if there was a redeeming quality about this couple was the support she provided for Nick's fears and anxiety so I guess that makes Jane the better person here. She was giving more than she received.

OVERALL I was glad that the characters are much more acceptable though still far from normalcy because the hero was still a judgemental, hot headed jerk. If a 21st century man acted this way, I'd have kicked him out and threaten him with a 0.8mm or something. The Nerve!

[Alina Acevlos · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wtf am I reading.! Skimmed it most of the time and it's funny because I couldn't even finish skimming it.

I know that it has some heart wrenching scenes but it was more of a frustration because a reader could not possibly have a peace of mind while reading this.

They have instant attraction without knowing each other.. insta-lust and insta-love so I wasn't hooked on their romance. There was no depth. This is plotless by the way so I could not believe this reached 5stars for others.

Jane is childish but sensual. I couldn't imagine how but then that was the story. It was mentioned million times that she was 17 and far too young for Nicholas but still lusted after her. When they had sex the first time , Jane knows that she was in love unrequitedly of course .. Then Nicholas knows and do the honourable thing and proposed to marry her. But this childish Jane left him because he said it was duty to marry her and left him.
I think that was childish thing to do.

I want to explain more but then my frustration is coming back now.

The story is a mess. There was no moment of peace. Jealousy, trust issues and lack of understanding, lack of communication were the problems. It was too much and they never solve it. Until the end ofcourse

[BRNTerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILER SUMMARY: This book is part of the Bragg Series. I first read this in 2003 (I think) along with her other Bragg book, ‘The Darkest Heart’, which was also published by Dell. I didn’t know either of these books existed until I got internet access in early 2002. The others in the series were published by Avon.

The story takes place in England in 1874, then later, in New York.

The hero is Nicholas Bragg, 33, from Texas but living in England for 10 years. He has silver eyes, black hair and a dark complexion. His wife died in a house fire and Nick was accused of setting the fire but was later acquitted. Everyone still thinks he did it and therefore has no friends but one. He has a five year old son.

My thoughts: I’ve read this book twice now and I still don’t like it very much. I think Jane is very weak and uninteresting. There’s no fire in her. Nick is very, very angry and violent. He cusses all the time and is a big fan of the F-word. He’s very jealous. Right before he came to England ten years before, he found out that the man he thought was his father, Derek, wasn’t, and that his mom was raped and the rapist is his father. So he’s really angry that the truth was kept from him. He was in love with his first wife but she hated him. Then when she found out that he was part American Indian, she really hated him and their son, Chad. Though there is no violence toward the heroine, I consider this book to be a bodice ripper because of the way the hero acts.

This is the order of the Bragg series:

Innocent Fire- This is the story of Nick’s parents.

Firestorm- The story of Nick’s sister Storm.

Violet Fire- Story of Nick’s brother Rathe.

Dark Fires- Nicholas Bragg.

The Darkest Heart- The story of Shoz’s (from The Fires of Paradise) parents.

The Fires of Paradise- Nick’s brother Rathe’s daughter Lucy’s story.

Scandalous Love- Nick’s oldest daughter Nicole’s story.

Secrets- Nick’s youngest daughter Regina’s story. Her husband's name is Slade Delanza.

After Innocence- The story of Slade’s youngest brother Edward and his wife Sophie. My favorite historical romance of all-time.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book in 2004 and then again in 2012. I finally got the kindle version and read it again. When I first discovered the old bodice ripping historicals back in the day, I loved them. This author writes the kind of alpha, possessive hero I love and they always have the right amount of a softer side that lets you feel their emotions. I highly suggest you read as Nicolas first appears in that book and it includes the back story for all of the angst Nicolas feels in this book. Besides that it is an epic love story set in the old west. Nicolas has gone to England to assume his rightful title and inheritance from his mother's side of the family. He has experienced heart break, has been shunned by society and duped by his wife. He knew the purest love for his family back in Texas but since coming to England he has known only heartbreak. Jane has also known heart break and abandonment. She's too young but the sparks fly at their first meeting. We travel a rocky road with them with a couple of separations along the way but true love prevails. If you are a lover of historical, bodice ripping romances you will love the journey you travel with Nicolas and Jane.

[Readaholic · Rating 3 out of 5]

****this whole review is a spoiler****



Did not care for the heroine at all. Why she was so angry at hero is beyond me. Although he could have been more sensitive towards her feelings he tried to do the right thing by offering her marriage even though he it was her who stupidly crawled into his bed and let him screw her while he was knowingly asleep!! I couldn't stand her idiocy pre-child and even when she kinda sorta matured 2 years later she still made me want to slap her!

Hero wasn't as bad as I thought he would be. He desired her but did everything in his power to resist her. It was her who who took advantage of him! He was an amazingly loving father and took a lot of crap from heroine and everybody else in London in a much calmer manner than he should have. Yes the man had a temper but it was well justified. His only idiocy was holding onto his mistress when he hated her and thought she was a cow...she wasn't even worth the deception! And even with that the book shows them attending events together but after he was married you are led to believe he wasn't actually sleeping with her.

The book was alright and I don't regret reading it but I had to keep walking away from this book because the heroine drove me nuts!

[Stefanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book very much and was sucked into the story.
There was only one thing that kept irritating me. Where the characters in the other books didn't talk enough, Nicholas and Jane didn't talk at all.

They are both convinced the other one hates them, while they love them. They are afraid of being hurt, so it's easier to pretend to hate the other one also. That way they lost more than two years together. Two years while they could have been happy together, while they could have loved each other.
And that while I did love Nicholas' and Jane's character. Nicholas found out his real father raped his mother. He's afraid his father never really loved him and that he'll be like his biological father. Grace is hurt because she thinks Nicholas only married her because of their daughter.

The twist at the end, with Nicholas' first wife, was a bit too much for me. It made the story start to sound like a soap opera.

[Mary23nm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hypocritical jerk 'hero' with an insane temper and naive young virgin heroine, who could not possibly know what love is, fall in love at first sight. Hero continues a relationship with his mistress, but is completely put out with the (insane) thought that someone might touch the heroine. Everything but the kitchen sink is thrown in here. Hero is part Native American, born in America and is an English earl and accused of first wife's death. Heroine is illegitimate and an actress. His best friend (playboy) loves the heroine. She runs away. Secret baby. Eventually, they come together after much trial and tribulation and then the 'dead' first wife shows up! Heroine runs to America and hero comes after her. HEA. 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars

[Bruna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moram iskreno reći da je ovo jedna od onih knjiga koja se ne ispušta iz ruku od prve do posljednje stranice! Odlična i napeta priča, sjajni likovi sigurno su recept za sjajno štivo! Još jednom da kažem, wow!!!

[Nefise · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't finish it but I read enough to know that it's not a kind of book that I like to read. Actually I think Brenda Joyce's stories are not my thing.
Anyway, there's a review that I'm most agree with her.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Copper78 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great old school bodice ripper! Age difference, secret baby, misunderstandings, brutish hero with a dead wife who disappeared mysteriously - this book has it all! If you like this genre, you'll probably like this book!

[Skittles Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this is one of the worst bodice ripper Brenda Joyce books. Usually, I enjoy the high passioned and very tormented heroes that BJ paints, but this book, which I had been looking forward to read, just disappoints.

Nick Bragge, the spawn from the r*pe that happened to Miranda in book 1, is now set to inherit an earldom on his mother side. He is painted to be in deep torment because he found out the truth about his heritage, and instead of doing the sensible thing and writing/ visiting his parents about it, he spent 10 years in suffering.

And who said he is not silly? For a supposedly smart, virile, manly man, he is unbelievably, frustratingly immature. He beds anyone he wants, even the maid, who eventually becomes *spoiler alert* his daughter’s nursemaid. He claims to be in love with the heroine but makes stupid after stupid decisions that do not reflect his feelings at all. The way he treated her is abhorrent, like who can mistake a man for loving you when you have confessed that you love him, and he mocks you and turns you away? Then the next day he realized he loves you also but you already ran away and he did not even bother to bring you back. Instead, he immerses himself with multiple mistresses while he is supposedly wallowing in self-torment about you.

And Jane. Impulsive, irresponsible and uggghhhhh of a heroine. Girl, since you love him that much, can we just stop with the pride? Apparently, the love of your life is a whore who sleeps around with plenty women but expected you to be loyal to him while he’s at it. He gets angry with the thoughts of you with another man. But he does the same. Gaaaaah. This did not age well. And another thing that bothers me immensely- she reads him so well about his deep “dark fires” that keeps him suffering, guessing correctly his feelings and thoughts, but on the other side of it- “does he love me? Oh God, does he? Is he going back to his wife? Let me make an unbelievably stupid and impulsive decision and uproot my life while hurting another person, just because I cannot sit down and talk to him and would rather flee to America and cry my eyes out everyday…”

Spare me. This would have been a one star read if not for the emotional last chapter that involve Derek and Nick. There even is no closure about Lindley! Like thank you for your service, your story ends abruptly. 🥲

[Packleader · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is all the worst romance cliches combined in one book. I really wondered how someone could possibly interpret this as actual romance until I was halfway though the book when I realized: this is a romance story for men. Specifically the kind of men who believe in toxic masculinity.

The hero is - at the beginning of the book - 33 yet throws temper tantrums like a toddler, yells almost all of the time and keeps considering killing his best friend as well his own supposed beloved multiple times throughout the book. He was deeply hurt by his previous love and has a mistress whom he despises - good old women are evil and objects to be used trope. Throw in a questionable 'childhood trauma' and you get the intended tall, dark, and handsome failing completely.

The heroine - just 17 at the beginning - falls immediately in lust with the hero and in her teenage naivity concludes it must be love, a belief she holds onto despite at no point becoming clear what is supposedly so loveable about the hero. She ist a petite blond and blue eyed girl on the skinny side - the last point not even changing after having a child - and characterwise the perfect angel, decribed by the hero as innocent and seductive at the same time. In other words: the stereotypical ideal woman who exists solely for the man.

Plotwise a ot lof the character's decisions don't make sense, the only surprise how their first time ends up happening, the progression of their relationship is slow with occasional super quick developments that an actual romance would have given the time those kind of moments deserve - and on that note, the story is just utterly lacking in romance. The German title means "dark longing" and it fits the book quite well, seeing as sexual desire seems to be what this story understands as romance.

[Mishka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started the year off right with a book that asked, “What if your hot legal guardian was a murder suspect with intimacy issues?” and I said, “Go on.”

Nicholas Bragg is basically if Mr. Darcy had a criminal record and the emotional range of a brick wall. Society thinks he murdered his wife (he didn’t), and he copes by being allergic to feelings and trying to auction off his teenage ward like she’s an inconvenient houseplant. Enter Jane, who’s like, “I want love, not your weird guilt proposal, thanks,” and proceeds to vanish into the night and reinvent herself as a secret stage actress. Icon behavior.

Meanwhile, Nicholas is busy doing everything except dealing with his feelings — keeping a mistress he doesn’t want, brooding, aggressively refusing to grow. When he and Jane finally cross paths again, it’s all lies, hidden identities, sexual tension, and Nicholas trying to express love through the medium of moral obligation. Spoiler: Jane’s not into it.

Add in a surprise child, a scandal resurrection, and a frankly hilarious amount of dramatic miscommunication, and you've got one of those old-school historicals where the men are a mess and the women are tired.

It’s trope soup: guardian/ward, hidden identity, forced proximity, "I hate feelings" hero, the whole historical angst buffet. And yes ��� I loved it. I have no shame.

Why four stars and not five? Because even though it hit, it didn’t leave shrapnel. Also, I read Off Balance right after, and frankly I’m still recovering from the whiplash of that chaos.

Would recommend if you like your romance with maximum emotional constipation and heroines who actually walk away when the man starts talking about duty instead of love.

[Akira Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dark Fires by Brenda Joyce, a historical romance novel, explores the rare theme of a ward-guardian relationship, which intrigued me as a fan of the genre. However, I found myself disappointed with this book for several reasons.

One aspect that I enjoyed in Dark Fires was the steamy scenes. The hero, with his muscular build and brooding demeanor, fits the stereotypical image of a romance novel hero. However, what didn't resonate with me was the instant love between the heroine and the guardian. I prefer a slow-burn romance with detailed situations that bring the characters closer together. Unfortunately, in this book, their love seemed instant, lacking depth or development.

Furthermore, the angsty situations that usually add tension to a story felt unnecessary in Dark Fires. A proper communication would have easily solved the issue. The separation between the hero and the heroine felt forced and could have been avoided with a simple conversation. This lack of a compelling and believable conflict left me feeling disappointed and frustrated.

Although the ward-guardian relationship is a rare and enticing theme, it wasn't enough to keep me engaged in Dark Fires. Despite reading around 80% of the book, I ultimately decided to drop it. Even the steamy scenes couldn't compensate for the shortcomings I found in the plot and character development.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olha só, peguei esse livro totalmente aleatório, mesmo já conhecendo a autora mas nunca tinha ouvido falar dessa série, fui só pela sinopse, mas foi uma grata surpresa! O livro têm uma trama bem datada mas me prendeu pelos protagonistas carismáticos e pela química do casal. Têm umas reviravoltas que eu achei que não iriam funcionar mas no final acabei gostando da trama por completo, o romance muito bom com ótimas cenas de tensão sexual (mas ele não é muito descritivo infelizmente) e de forma geral amei o quão apaixonados os protagonistas foram um pelo o outro, e o final com os momentos em família do mocinho foram maravilhosos, mesmo eu não tendo lido os anteriores da série, me senti muito nostálgica e tocada pela aurea familiar kkk Pra finalizar só queria ressaltar que peguei um ranço pelo “”melhor amigo”” do mocinho, o Lindsey, o homem é tão amigo que estava doido é para colocar a gaiada no no protagonista, muito sem noção, bem amigo da onça kkk

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bunch of crazies afflicted with a serious case of transcendental love. For what it's worth, I really like Joyce's writing. She's descriptive, a little purple. World-building Victorian England, she's not that great at and I don't really care for the Western parts but overall, she's an entertaining read.

Except her plots are so wild. It never stops. That last curveball at 80% blindsided me.

And her heroines are always so desperately and crazily in love in a way that doesn't make sense. And the whole cheating stuff from the dude - yeah - that's not for me.

And to think, I actually read the daughter, Nicole's book first and I used to think she was bonkers. But now I realised she got it from her PARENTS (who, by the by, seemed perfectly normal and tame in her book...)

[aloadedknife · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have to give this one star due to the: racism, weird colonizer porn, the fetishization of brown men, racist rape panic/propaganda, old west (aka genocide/colonial nostalgia, and the underage romance/sex etc.

Hero was 1/4 Native American because his pure white mother was raped by half native man????!!! Weird choice, just feeding into the colonist agenda of indigenous people as raping savages. And due to this the dude was afraid of raping people but like had no concept of consent at all? And then he later plays into his exs racist ideas/fear of being raped by him to threaten her? Like???

Somehow, this book was still a better relationship than the last bodice ripper I read.

[Ramia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uhhh . DNF at 20%
How can a 17 year old girl love a man in his thirties after just 2 days of meeting him , and mind you he was very rude and cold in these 10 minutes sh saw him
Absolutely hated this book , and normally im too curious not finish a book , but this one ? Yeah . No
And not even get me started on Nick our “hero”
He’s always angry for no reason , and he’s always shouting or roaring .
These are just a few examples that are repeated numerous times throughout the story.

“Damn it!” he exploded.”

And while he was talking with him selves, he suddenly :
“Right!” he roared.

😀😀😀

[LOVEROFBOOKS · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't tell you how many times I almost threw this book across the room! This is one of those old romance books where the men are insufferable cads, the women weak and pliant and the premise of the story is one big Three's Company misunderstanding!

The last 1/4 of the book was the best, and I read it all in one night, but rolled my eyes many times. I think I will stick to modern romances nowadays. This one drove me crazy!

[a⋆˚࿔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

honestly, there were quite a few things that annoyed me (fmc being described as petite but then mmc was fawning over her "long, long legs", the will-they-won't-they in part II was a bit exhausting and felt very soap opera, mmc was a bit too bullheaded at times)

but anyways i had sooo much fun with this, the ending was sweet and part I was near perfect to me so i choose to ignore those annoying parts😁

[K J · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf 65% — really wanted to love this one because my first (previous) Brenda Joyce blew me away. Dark Fires feel like a toxic couple who can't communicate for the life of them. Jane always end up running away, whether it is to another city or another Continent (yes, with a capital C because of how frustrating it is). Also, Cliff is very inappropriate—always lusting after Jane and putting his nono either in Jane's or in places he shouldn't.

[DelilahW · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm ambivalent about this book. The sex scenes were pretty hot. I think it wanted to be a sexy version of Jane Eyre. But it was way too gimmicky for that. The heroine was a total ditz and the hero wasn't much smarter. I can't stand romance novels that include the annoying trope of heroine-gets-pregnant-runs-away-and-hides-baby's-existence-from-hero. Not a book I would want to re-read.

[ANGELIA · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good, but also a bit annoying, as the misunderstandings, separations, secrets, jealousy and pretended indifference, as well as the interfering from the OM/OW got to be pretty redundant after a while. Another book that would have been better if it was shorter.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love!

I love brenda joyce. She never lets me down with her stories. This was a great booK, with a happy ending!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

High drama fills this lust ridden novel. I read to relax and there were times I skipped chapters because it was so exhausting.

[T Rojo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was ridiculous but entertaining

[Tapa in lovezone]

Didn’t feel the book.
I thought it might have the “Forbidden by Karen Robard” feels but it doesn’t. No chemistry. Dull.